Thursday, August 20, 2015

This is the handout of a talk I gave 8/20/2005 for the NSCA New York State Annual Clinic.

Pedro Martinez had just said "the Yankees are my daddy", and my point was, who is influencing your training ideas, the muscle media or actual biomechanics?

Based on my observations of the other speakers and the reaction to my slides, I made a few changes to how I presented going forward. For instance, up to this point (2005) I could refer to Arnold, Lou, etc. and the audience knew; here, no one attending had any idea. Good point, that about the 70s muscle myths, but no longer relevant to those attending.The biomechanics and physiology, though, still count; as far as I can tell, no evolutionary changes in the last ten years.

Bodybuilding or
Biomechanics: Who’s Your Daddy?

Bill De Simone

August 20, 2005

I.Introduction

A.1970’s
bodybuilding lore part of today’s fitness industry

1.1970s
bodybuilding images

2.High
Volume vs. High Intensity, etc.

3.Today’s
industry leaders grew up on this

B.Contradictions
with biomechanics

1.Identify
disconnects in concepts and exercises

2.Review
muscle and joint science

3.Compare
and suggest modifications

C.You
as the professional should be aware

1.Clients
trust you with their muscles and joints

a)Responsible
for acute and long-term effects

2.Difference
between metaphor and science

a)Motivation
or mistake

3.Applying
this material leads to

a)Cleaner
exercise selection

b)less
joint stress

c)more
effective exercises

II.The Bodybuilding Concepts

A.FullRange
of Motion

1.“enhance
both muscle strength and flexibility” (ACE)

2.“this
is the only way to stimulate the entire muscle and every possible muscle fiber”
(AS)

B.Peak
Contraction

1.“enhance
the strength stimulus” (WW)

2.“to
create maximum height” (AS)

C.Sticking
Point of an Exercise

1.“muscles
being worked harder” (AJ)

2.“point
in the exercise ROM where weakest”

III.Review of the Relevant Muscle Science

A.Organization
of muscle

1.Fibers
in parallel, made up of

2.Myofibrils
in parallel, made up of

3.Sarcomeres
in series

B.Contraction

1.Sliding
filament theory

2.Force
pattern: increase/decrease

3.Duplicated
at every level of organization

C.Graphic
representation

1.Tension-length
curves

2.active
and passive tension

3.variable
force

IV.The Disconnects Between Muscle Science
and Bodybuilding

A. Full range of motion vs. tension-length curves,
passive tension

B.Peak
contraction vs. active insufficiency

1.Demonstrations:

a)Fist
v wrist flexion

b)Knee
extension with hip flexion

C.Fiber
recruitment: techniques vs. load

1.All-or-none
principle

a)All
fibers in a motor unit contract or not, which means

b)All
associated myofibrils and sarcomeres attached contract

c)Dependent
on load, not ROM

2.Fiber
types

a)Slow
vs fast twitch, hierarchy

b)Near
maximal loads to recruit most units

c)Fast
twitch capable of increased size

3.“Advanced”
techniques may be valid

a)Recruitment
may not be the mechanism

V.The Sticking Point; or, Maximum
Resistance Moment Arm

A.Interpretations

1.point
where muscles work harder (AJ)

a)implied,
where they get stronger

2.point
in exercise ROM where muscles are weakest (M&F)

a)contradicts
AJ

B.“Levers
of the Musculoskeletal System”

1.definitions
of lever, fulcrum, moment arm, torque

2.dumbbell
curl diagram

C.Maximum
Resistance Moment Arm

1.separate
phenomena from Peak Muscle Torque

2.function
of resistance relative to the body

D.Resistance
Torque Analysis

1.concept
more important than labels

2.positive-first

a)what
happens with too heavy a load?

3.negative-first

a)what
happens with too heavy a load?

b)eccentric
capable of heavier load

c)zero
moment arm to max

VI.Biomechanical Concerns of Common
Exercises

A.Side
Raise

1.RTA
discourages impingement

2.Mismatch

3.modification

4.no
immediate risk

B.DB
Pullover

1.RTA
vs Muscle Torque Graph

2.Immediate
risk with heavy weight

3.Straight
Elbow Pulldown as substitute

C.Curl

1.RTA
approximates Muscle Torque

a)MT
graph

b)RTA
diagram

2.Carrying
Angle

a)DBs
preferred to fixed width

D.Squat

1.RTA

a)peak
torque for glutes, hams, quads

2.Catastrophic
injuries

a)Flex,
Club Industry

b)Eccentric
first

c)Zero
MA to Max

d)Spine
is not a shaft

e)Patella

3.Precautions

a)Build
up to max attempts

b)Spine
extension exercises separate from glute/quad

c)Smith
machine with adjustable stops

d)Moderate
depth

VII.Conclusion

A.Recognize
the concept behind Maximum Moment Arm

1.Where
to assist/ to spot

2.most
practical, immediate application

B.Exercise
selection

1.Classic,
basic exercises more conducive for weight progression

a)Better
match between RMA and Muscle Torque

2.“Single
joint” exercises

a)Disparity
between RMA and MT prohibits dramatic progression in weight